Discovering Truth and Beauty

Senior Corie Crabtree is not shy, and she has no problem admitting that when younger she struggled with taking directions, multi-tasking, and general mental discipline.  These issues are not unusual, but her educational therapy came in an unusual form: horses.  Over time horses would become her passion as well as her main vehicle for personal and spiritual growth.

Corie states that, “Taking care of a 1000 pound animal that can do whatever it wants can be frustrating.  You have to learn to get outside yourself, to adapt to something else entirely.  I have to be ‘on’ mentally and physically.  I also had to learn to see riding in its entirety, in its less glamorous details, like feeding, grooming, and . . .cleaning.”  She continued, “Riding is also counter-intuitive.  For example, when the horse gets scared, my instinct is to pull back and hold on.  What I really need to do is relax, ease off the reins, and regain control slowly.  All in all, my time with horses has helped me grow spiritually.  I had to learn patience, that I can’t always do what I want to do.”

Some aspects of AFA’s education posed a challenge for Corie, especially in math and science.  “In 9^thgrade I did not want to come here.  The average here is above average.  Achievement does not come easily.  I’m not academically oriented, but I like that at AFA my opinions are not accepted at face value, and I have to think for myself.  I have to work through the issues to get to truth, and to understand that process.  And I have grown to love the people here, who are like family.  Sometimes I wish for an easier school, but the people I have met make it all worthwhile.”

Music has followed riding to add to her list of passions.  She finds that developing musical skill requires the ability, like riding and education, to get outside oneself.  “I have tried to expose myself to new bands and influences in order to grow musically.  Music allows me to mix ‘art and truth.’  Truth has to be translated in ways that others can understand, and beauty itself is an important part of truth.”

It is horses, however, that still form the core of her current life and future.  She wants to choose a major that will allow her to teach others therapeutic riding, and hopes to make it a ministry.  For Corie, understanding horses has led to understanding herself, and seeing that understanding extend to relationships with others.

‘My current horse Boomer and I bonded right away.  He has a personality, and I had to see that personality to ride well.  Actually, we’re both ADD!  It takes a lot for us both to focus, but  . . . we both have a lot of determination.”